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(another) Passport Question

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I'm heading to Meribel 24th - 31st March.

My passport expires 18th April.

A few people have told me I need 6 months of validity after the travel date, but the Foreign and Commonwealth Office states that you can travel up to the expiry date on their website: http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/france1

Any help would be appreciated!


Mac
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Mac22, just for going to France, you should be OK - and I'd definitely believe what the FCO say on their website. Don't forget to get a new one when you come home, though!
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Think France will be OK, the 6 months tends to be visa related, e.g. the US tourist visa is valid for 6 month so you need 6 months on the passport to make sure it is still valid when you leave.
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Mac22, As Pam W says, btb in theory you only need a UK driving licence as id to enter France, although I wouldn't want to put that theory to the test these days Laughing
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Thanks guys, after reading the FCO site I did think that was the case, but I like a 'belt and braces' approach when it comes to passports!
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Mac22, both my kids' passports expire this month and we just got back from France - not an eyebrow raised. Dont stress it. Enjoy your hols.
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Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Mac22, Come and watch the races at the British Sen/Jun champs on in Meribel that week.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Plugboy, we plan to! Looking forward to it
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Boredsurfing wrote:
Mac22, As Pam W says, btb in theory you only need a UK driving licence as id to enter France, although I wouldn't want to put that theory to the test these days Laughing


I experienced that a while back when travelling to Belgium. One colleague in the car had forgotten his passport. He managed to get through OK on a driving licence and some sort of ID card from the territorial army. Apparently it’s easier getting out like that, but it can be more difficult getting back in again!
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For travelling in the E.C. a passport is just proof of identity - if the Border Force Officer is happy that the document is genuine and belongs to the person in front of them - it doesn't even matter if it is out of date you would still be admitted to the UK.
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"Entry Requirements - Passport Validity

You must hold a valid passport to enter France. For stays of up to three months your passport must be valid for the proposed duration of your stay; you do not need any additional period of validity on your passport beyond this. However, it is always sensible to have a short period of extra validity on your passport in case of any unforeseen delays to your departure. You do not have to wait until your old passport expires to apply to renew it. Any time left on your old passport when you apply will be added to your new passport, up to a maximum of nine months. For passport applications in the UK, you should apply to the Identity and Passport Service. For stays of longer than three months, contact the Embassy of the country to which you are travelling."

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/europe/france1
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Quote:

in theory you only need a UK driving licence as id to enter France

Thats not true, drivinglicence is normaly not ok as id in france, here we have a id that show from where we are, the driving licence only say where you got it, so you must have a passport as id here in france, just to be sure its valid during your stay here
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If you are an EEA national you can travel around the EEA up to the date of expiry of your passport. Expired EEA passports can also be used as proof of nationality and identity.

You cannot, contrary to what many people believe, rely on a driving licence as this does not prove nationality and identity. A UK driving licence simply confirms that a person is legally able to drive a car in the country of issue. However, they are accepted as a form of ID by banks, bars etc etc

A UK armed forces ID card could be accepted in lieu of a passport, when entering the UK, as non-EEA national forces personnel are exempt from immigration control whilst a member of the UK forces.

Whilst different border agencies allow an officer the use of their discretion you should always carry the correct documentation. A trip to the UK Embassy from the Alps to obtain a temporary passport is expensive....
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
freeheelskier,
Quote:

the driving licence only say where you got it

err, no, THE UK driving licence has your home address printed on it (both parts) , and it is an offence not to change the address if you move house.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_4022088
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
For those skiing in (or just travelling to) the States:

Quote:
Does my British passport have to be valid for six months beyond my date of departure from the United States?

No, if your passport is not valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States, it will not affect your eligibility to travel. The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States.

If you are travelling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Boredsurfing wrote:
freeheelskier,
Quote:

the driving licence only say where you got it

err, no, THE UK driving licence has your home address printed on it (both parts) , and it is an offence not to change the address if you move house.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_4022088


Err, woops... Mine's still got my parents' address on it...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Boredsurfing wrote:
freeheelskier,
Quote:

the driving licence only say where you got it

err, no, THE UK driving licence has your home address printed on it (both parts) , and it is an offence not to change the address if you move house.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/DriverLicensing/NeedANewOrUpdatedLicence/DG_4022088


Unless you move abroad, apparently. When I asked the DVLA about this they said 'whatever, just leave it as your old address' because they are unable to put an offshore address on it. So mine is - at the explicit advice of the DVLA themselves - illegal under their own rules.

Also, you do need a passport to enter France from the UK.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Quote:

Also, you do need a passport to enter France from the UK.


You do if you are a British Citizen but you don't if you are an EEA national as you can travel to EEA states using your national ID card. About time we had one...can't understand why the Coalition didn't want to go ahead with them.
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Hurdy wrote:
Quote:

Also, you do need a passport to enter France from the UK.


You do if you are a British Citizen.


That's kind of what I meant. Non-Schengen and all that.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Boredsurfing wrote:
Mac22, As Pam W says, btb in theory you only need a UK driving licence as id to enter France, although I wouldn't want to put that theory to the test these days Laughing


It is simply not true.

It is only when travelling between countries who were party to the Schengen agreement (and you must be a national of one of them) that you don't need passports.

The UK has never been party to that agreement, so you need a passport when travelling between the UK and any other EU country (except Ireland)
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Sometimes when travelling between Schengen countries, even as a non-Schengen national, the border security is quite lax or non existent though. Plenty of roads between central European countries with completely unmanned border posts. Even when I was catching a ferry from Finland to Estonia once, they didn't seem especially bothered.
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paulio wrote:
Sometimes when travelling between Schengen countries, even as a non-Schengen national, the border security is quite lax or non existent though. Plenty of roads between central European countries with completely unmanned border posts. Even when I was catching a ferry from Finland to Estonia once, they didn't seem especially bothered.


Yeah, I went interrailing round Europe last year and the only time anyone looked at our passports was at the border to the Schengen zone (Romania into Hungary for us, although Romania will be joining at some point), so it's not even "sometimes", it's ALL the time in my experience.

It was rather inconvenient though as we were on the sleeper train and they stopped it at about 1am and some soldiers came round and woke everyone up and checked for stowaways.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
yesterday morning geneva airport flying back to heathrow, i was let through by check in , passport control, but was stopped by SWISS at the gate and told that i was breaking the law with my passport which expires in JULY !!!

????? EXPIRY DATE ...? I wonder what that is supposed to mean.

The lady wanted to get security !!!!! ?????? She quoted "New Law"
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I've been told in the past at geneva check in that I need to get a new passport. 6 months left on it though. My brother who was with me had the same date but didn't get told. But we both got through passport control ok. Luck of the draw when it comes to europe maybe??
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sev112, the Swiss make it up as they go along, I suspect. My brother once had an almighty hassle there because he was travelling with his son, who was about 8 at the time, but not with the boy's mother. They were very difficult about it, started going on about needing written permission from the mother!
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Quote:

The UK has never been party to that agreement, so you need a passport when travelling between the UK and any other EU country (except Ireland)

So why is Ireland different then? Apart from having a different currency?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
The UK and Ireland have a very close relationship.

"ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
 
Ireland, along with the UK, is a member of the Common Travel Area. This means that British Citizens do not require a passport to visit Ireland. However, Irish immigration officers will check the IDs of all passengers arriving by air from the UK and most airlines will not carry passengers to and from Ireland unless they have seen satisfactory photographic ID before boarding. Travellers to Ireland are therefore advised to take their British passports with them.

Other than passports, some carriers may accept other types of photographic ID.  For their acceptability, please consult your carrier before travelling. Take care to read any advice they may give when booking tickets on the Internet."
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Boredsurfing wrote:
Quote:

The UK has never been party to that agreement, so you need a passport when travelling between the UK and any other EU country (except Ireland)

So why is Ireland different then? Apart from having a different currency?


Basically (and very simplistically) because it used to be a part of the UK, and when they split it, part of the agreement was unrestricted travel between the two.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
sev112, nomadicanna, Switzerland are not part of the EU (even though they are part of the Schengen area), and can apply different requirements if they wish.

According to this passports must be valid for three months after the intended date of departure from Switzerland.
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